Skiing Rules: 12 Life Lessons Learned on the Mountain

By Loel York
with Hope Katz Gibbs
Illustrations by Michael Glenwood Gibbs

An Introduction from Hope:
SOMETIMES YOU HAVE TO DO IT AFRAID

What is the purpose of learning to ski?, I asked Loel York, the ski instructor sitting on the chair lift beside me as I took my first climb up Utah’s Powder Mountain on March 8, 2017. I was 53.

“In addition to the freedom and fun, there is the exhilaration of pushing past your fear of falling —getting hurt, or even dying — and the liberation of leaving the business of your life behind,” explained the master teacher who has been training novices to ski for more than four decades.

As he shared his insight about the downhill journey I was embarking on, my shaking hands and tightly wound nerves began to calm. Skiing never captured my imagination. But a friend who had been coming here since he was a teen, invited me to come along.

While the idea of sliding down a giant snow-covered mountain on slippery sticks wasn’t really appealing — I preferred to walk along sandy beaches in a bikini — I put on my big girl panties (and several layers of clothing) and accepted the challenge.

Amazingly, I felt remarkably safe sitting next to this master teacher. Certainly, the reassuring sound of his voice calmed me, but more than that — I was intrigued with the wisdom Loel was sharing.

The instructions he was giving me were Zen-quality life lessons — the stuff of profound wisdom that should also be applied off the mountain.

By the time he helped me off the chair lift, I knew Loel could write a book to share his knowledge with more people than those lucky enough to take his 4-hour lesson.

When I suggested it after our first successful run down the “green” slope, said he was intrigued. Several runs later, I was skiing with confidence and he promised to follow up. A year later, he called.

Loel said he’d been thinking about my proposition, but had needed time to process his ability and willingness to share what he considered common sense.

As we began the writing process, Loel confided that it was his day-job — as an instructor that helps wayward youth regain a foothold in society through wilderness training — was his real motivation for working on this book project.

“I wouldn’t be a very good ski instructor if I didn’t work with these teens that needed guidance,” he explained. “They have taught me about working through intense obstacles more than any other experience I’ve had in my life — and my life has been filled with challenging experiences.”

The little book you hold in your hand is the result of the chance meeting that I had with wise Loel — and the lifetime of wisdom he has accrued. Our hope is that we all master the trip down the mountain — with skill, joy, and grace. — Hope Katz Gibbs

What are the 12 Lessons Learned?

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